Christmas- Smash Mansion Style!
by xSimplyTarrynx
Summary: Ever wonder what our favorite Smashers do around Christmas time? Well, you're about to find out! From blackouts to explosions and hide-and-seek, life is never dull when it comes to our favorite Smashers! But will secret feelings still be revealed when an old enemy threatens the Mansion, and they are left powerless? Couples: SamIke, Zelink, and other hinted couples
1. Chapter 1

**Tarryn: Greetings, and welcome to my crazy new Christmas story! I put this up as a sort of bonus present for Adella, so it has her favorite couple in it, as well as mine! On another note, I sort of cast Red as a cooler version of Ash, because it worked with the story, so please no flames on that! This story is going to come in 2-3 parts, but even so I'd appreciate a review! They make my day, and what better way to spread the Christmas spirit than to give someone a really nice review? Anyway, enjoy the story, and Happy Holidays!**

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**Part 1: Staring off with a Bang! (Literally!)**

Crazy Hand was going to regret this.  
_Nah._

Crazy Hand had his massive fist enclosed tightly around an equally huge rope, attached to a canon that was bigger than Smash Mansion itself. He gave a characteristically insane laugh, knowing that was going to be one of his greatest pranks ever, if not _the_ greatest. _It's time for a wake-up call! _He thinks to himself just as dawn's earliest light peeked over the mountains that stood tall and proud against the endless sky behind the mansion. Crazy Hand makes sure everything is in place; one last check before Crazy Hand set the canon off, and sent Smash Mansion sky-high. Once everything was ready to go, Crazy Hand grips the tattered rope tightly between his fingers, and muffles a chuckle, trying to contain his excitement. A quick yank of the rope, and…

**BOOM!**

Confetti rains down like snow; the small pieces colored red and green, and was littered with lots of sparklers that ignited in the air, creating a small slew of fireworks that's looked like tiny fire balls. _Mario's going to be so jealous of my fire; it's so much cooler than his! _He merrily floats down the cobblestone path that lead back to the mansion; and if it was possible that you could jump with glee while floating in midair, Crazy Hand was doing it. He opens the rustic, heavily sealed doorway with a snap of his fingers, and then wanders into the common room. He gives a maniacal laugh as he enters the empty room. "MERRY CHRISTMAS BROS.!" He shouts as he watches all the Smashers file inside, some wide-eyed and shaking, and some looking at Crazy Hand like they were about to slash him up and serve him for dinner. He didn't want to names, but… Master Hand was _definitely_ one of those people. "CRAZY!" His brother roars, as he points an accusing finger him. "Why did you do that?" Crazy giggles like a school-girl, and responds promptly. "_Because, _Bro.! It's _Christmas_!" He emphasizes, and then mutters under his breath. "And some people like to sleep in until noon!" He turns towards Zelda and Peach, and who look away sheepishly. Popo and Nana were some of the ones startled by the blast, but they come forward bravely, Popo holding Nana's hand as the bounce up and down once they come to the realization that today was Christmas! "Present, presents!" They chant, as they race towards the tree that had been set up weeks ago by the older Smashers to lift the smaller ones spirit's. Toon Link, Lucas and Pikachu join them around the tree, causing a ruckus with their cheering, Pikachu's electric sparks causing the lights to flicker and glow brighter each time he jumped, causing giggles to erupt from the raucous bunch, and smiles to cross the older ones faces.

At least until the lights popped out all together.

Screams could be heard from all sides of the once festive meeting place, and feelings of panic settle in as darkness covered the room. "Pikachu!" Red scolded his partner-in-crime, and Pikachu gave a saddened cry in return. "I know you didn't mean to Pikachu, but now we don't have any lights." Loud protests were made as the other Smashers grew agitated with the small electric mouse. They all started to gang up on Pikachu, narrowing him into a corner as their protests became an outright riot. Master Hand parted the crowd best he could, but everyone was still angry and cross with the Pokémon. After the crowd had parted, Pikachu felt a little better, but gave a spark of warning as he felt himself being cornered again, but it was only Red. He hushed his friend and then picked him up, placing him on his shoulder gently. "Come on buddy; let's go fix the lights so we can open presents." He says as the duo retreat deep into the mansion, heading for the power room.

**Part 2: Friendly Rivalries**

Back inside the dimly lit common room, everybody was discussing what should be done while they waited for the lights. While the sun had painted pastel orange streaks across the starry sky, it would be hours before they could make use of the daylight, and no one wanted to sit around doing nothing.

"We could play spin-the-bottle!" Suggested a few of the males, but everybody shut that idea down immediately. The little Smashers disappeared to play a few rounds of hide-and-seek in the dark, while most of the other Smashers departed for their rooms in search of candles or other battery-operated lights that could fix the problem.

The only ones left were Ike and Samus.

"This bites." Ike mutters as he sits down on the couch with a huff. "Awe, is wittle Ikey sad he can't get his pwesents?" Samus coos in a mocking tone, purposefully sounding like a child as she sat down on the other end of the couch, her Zero-Suit giving her a glow that illuminated her face. He grumbles and turns away, only to be meet with an eye-roll from the bounty hunter."And I thoughts Prince's were supposed to act mature." She mutters, hoping Ike had heard it. He tosses a pillow at her. "I am acting mature!" He shouts crossly at her, and she smirks. "Or course you are. Just like Marth. You two are in a relationship, right?" She holds back a chuckle when she sees his furious reaction. "For the last time: . !" Samus snorts her disbelief. "I'm serious! If you must know, Samus, I like someone." He leers at her from across the couch. "And it is NOT a guy!" She seems interested now, and puts an end to her teasing, her eyes suddenly serious. "Really? Who is it? Oh _please_ tell me it's not Peach!" She says, stuffing a finger down her throat. Peach was nice enough, but the idea of her and Ike together made her sick. Of course it didn't help that ever she had first come to Smash Mansion, Ike had always been there for her, no matter what. She remembers her first day at the mansion, which had changed everything she had thought about her life.

**FLASHBACK-**

Samus, now clad in her armor and completely shielded from the outside world of the mansion, made her way through the cafeteria, wondering how everything in her life seemed to relate back to one of two things: The Army or High School. This time it was the latter, as she faced the cafeteria which was full of people, none of whom she knew. She sighed from behind the mask. She knew she would have to take off her mask, but it would be an understatement if she said that she didn't want to. She wanted to be judged as a fighter; strong, powerful and not someone to be reckoned with, rather than a prissy little flower that was easily broken, and even worse, easily beaten. She walks forward, taking a spot at an empty table. _If no one sits over here, no one can see me, right? _Samus thinks, uncharacteristically self-conscious. She immediately shuts that thought down._ It doesn't even matter! If they think you're weak, they'll underestimate you, which will give you the advantage when it comes down to battling. You'll prove that you're not someone to be messed with if you have the mask or not, so don't be such a coward! _Samus's thoughts begin to sound more and more like her Drill Sergeant's screaming voice as the inward conversation ends with Samus finally taking off her mask. She peers back over her shoulder, wondering if everybody was staring at her.

Much to her disappointment, they were.

Samus just sighs and turns around, not really caring anymore. _Their just pathetic judgmental fools who think just because I wear armor, I must be a man. _She glowers down at the sandwich before her as she thinks these thoughts, and then decides to pick it up and eat, figuring that she wouldn't get any company today.

But oh, was she wrong.

She was quickly joined by three males, and none of them seemed to want to talk about anything but the fact that she was a girl. Soon she shuts down all emotions that arose within her, and she twists her facial features into an expression of pure nothingness, devoid of anything but the slight sparkle in her eye that was caused by sunlight. _This is just my luck . . . my first day here and I'm already wishing half the people here were in my Bingo Book. _Finally, one of the jerk's audacious comments makes her snap like a twig, and she gives a low growl of warning. "Look, if you don't cut it out _right now_, I'm going to blast your freaking heads off. I really don't want to be kicked out on Day One, so if you _gentlemen_." She spat the word with disgust. "Don't mind, I'd really appreciate it if you leave me alone." She glares, and her words seemed to get to them, and they jolt up and scramble away from her. She smirks, proud to have gotten rid of the obnoxious leeches, but it they were quickly replaced by another man, with blue hair and eyes, a tall, lean figure, and a large blade at his side. Samus struggle to remember his name from orientation, and remembers it as he takes the place across from her, smirking. "I'm impressed, normally girls always let those losers drool all over them, no one has ever told them off before." Samus rolls her eyes. "Well I'm glad someone told them off. They seemed like real scumbags." She grumbles, and Ike unexpectedly laughs. "That they are. So you're Samus, right? I've heard you're a pretty good bounty hunter." Samus nods and mumbles her thanks, all the while trying to find any trace of deceit in his eyes, any sign that he might be lying . . .

But she found none.

And that's what started it; Samus and Ike's long-lasting friendship. Ike would come to visit her on her starship, and Samus would write him every week unless she was on a mission. They knew each other better than they knew themselves, and even Samus's walls had eventually crumbled around him. She felt safe around him, and knew that she could let her secrets out, and that Ike would never tell them to another human being.

And yes, she appreciated his secrecy very much, but she still didn't think she would use the_ L_ word yet.  
Or would she?

Samus shakes her head to get back into reality. Realizing she probably hadn't spoken for awhile, she looks at Ike with fierce eyes. "Well then, who is it?" She demands, hoping that he hadn't already said who he liked, and she had missed it. Ike would call her out on it for weeks! But he seems oblivious to her spacing, and responds promptly. "Not telling." Ike responds with a smirk, deciding to leave her in the dark as payback for earlier. Samus gets out her plasma whip, and it sizzles as she traces the electric cord with her finger, and a deadly smile crosses her features. "Oh, I think you and I both know I have ways of making you talk." She gets up and Ike tries to stand his ground, but his eyes still flickered towards the door nervously. Samus inches closer to him now; two sets of blue eyes parallel to each other, the only thing differentiating the two was the hue of the magnificent color. Samus growls, her teeth forming a snarl. "Now tell me who it is." Ike gulps, and opens his mouth to speak, prepared to finally share his feelings about one girl. One very special girl . . . the same girl who was now about to burn Ike's face off with a plasma whip.

Yes, Ike loved the one and only Samus Aran.

But he wouldn't get to admit it to her just yet.

"What are you doing?" Popo asks curiously, as he and Nana tilt their heads in a synchronized manner. Ike shoves Samus off him, so as to not arouse suspicion from the icy mountain climbers. One slip-up and Samus and Ike would be the talk of the mansion, especially with the females, who loved to talk up a good romance. "Umm, nothing; Samus was just showing me her plasma whip." He responds distractedly, trying not to sound as flustered as he felt.

Popo and Nana regard him with little interest, and soon trot off down the hallway, babbling about where the Smashers playing hide and seek were hiding. They acted as if nothing had happened. Ike sighs, as Samus starts to charge towards him, unmasked furry flashing across her face; Ike groans.

Would he ever be able to tell Samus how he felt?  
More importantly, would Samus ever realize she didn't have to use violence to display her feelings?\\

**Part 3: The prefect gift?**

Was it possible for one's heart to beat so fast it burst? Zelda certainly thought so.

The Hylian princess was shifting her heavy present between her arms with a sigh. Had she gone overboard? Definitely. Did she think she was going to regret getting this present? Not one bit. It was for Link, and she had worked hard to make sure it was perfect. _Today is the day, _Zelda thinks as she gazes up at the dark ceiling above her. _It's just_ _…not quite what I had imagined. _Zelda smirks as she withholds a laugh. Her gaze drifts downward, glancing around her candle-lit room with a wistful sigh. Yes, the mishap that had left Smash Mansion in the dark wasn't in her plans, but she would deal with the cards she had been dealt. After all, today was one of the few days that people were permitted to go to such extremes as she had. Zelda thought about what she had done, and was rather pleased. She had been so clever! Not even Snake could deny her sneakiness if he'd known what she'd done. She remembers the day her plan had come to her as if it were yesterday.

**THREE WEEKS EARLIER**

Zelda was sitting on her bed, lounging in a very un-princess like manner as she contemplated what to get Link for Christmas. She wanted the gift to be something unique, that no one else would have thought of. Anyone could get him a simple power-up or Christmas card if they wanted (Smashers weren't necessarily forced to get something for each other) but _friends_ normally got each other those kinds of trinkets; couples got each other more romantic gifts, with much more meaning put into them. So Zelda wanted to get him something that meant something. After all, she also planned on pronouncing her love for Link on the same day she gave him the special present; a "double-whammy" if you would, so this plan would have to work. But Zelda wasn't feeling at all nervous about the ordeal; he would have to accept her, right? After all, only Link and Zelda had such an extensive history with each other, rivaled only by Mario and Peach in how long they had known each other. _Speaking of Peach_, Zelda thought as she traced her finger over the Tri-Force shape on her bed-spread, _she might be of some use to me. After all, her and Mario had been together for awhile, haven't they? Wouldn't she know something about what you would get for someone you care for? Of course, she might be facing the same dilemma with Mario, so it'd be best to tackle this one on my own. _She frowned, not liking the idea of having to do something of such importance on her own, but she knew she had no other choice. Getting herself up off of her bed, she walked down the hallway, casting a long look behind her to make sure no one was around. Zelda then waved her hand in a series of odd gestures, until she creates one of her spells. Placing it on herself, she turns completely invisible. Smirking, she meanders down the maze of hallways that was Smash Mansion, making sure she didn't make a sound as she peers into Link's room. She can't help but give a giddy grin as she patiently stands by the door, listening for any sounds of life. Hearing none, she makes her way into Link's room.

Then she spots…_it.  
Link's Master Sword and the Hylian Shield!_

Zelda grins as an idea pops into her mind. She dashes forward and grasps the two items, then rushes out the door. _It's perfect! I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner! I could polish his shield, and fix the dents and reinforce his sword with iron and magic! _She quietly shuts the door behind her as she sneaks out of Link's room, and then let's out a big sigh of relief. She would have to replace the sword and shield, of course, but a simple duplication spell would fix that problem. She charms the two items with the same invisibility spell she had used on herself, and places them under her bed. _This is going to be a Christmas to remember, that's for sure. It's my first Christmas at Smash Mansion, I have the perfect present for Link, and I'm telling Link that he is the one for me. How can this possibly go wrong?_

**END FLASHBACK**

Zelda clasps her hands together and then adjusts her arms with the two heavy pieces of artillery. She shakes her head to get out of the flashback, and then once again heads for Link's room. Placing the now sparkling weapons behind her so they could not be seen, she knocks on Link's door, swallowing the butterflies that were fluttering around in her stomach like pestering fairies. "Link, it's me, Zelda. Are you in there?" She rolls her eyes at her foolish sounding words, but she's unable to take them back as Link appears before her, his blue eyes mere inches above her own. Her gaze drifts upward, and she is pleased to see his face break out into a grin upon seeing her. "Zelda, I'm so glad you're here! I want to show you something." Zelda's face heats as she hears his words, but before she can respond she is pulled harshly through the doorway, the door shutting violently behind her. _Well, that wasn't what I expected…but at least he can't see his present now. _She holds back chuckle as Link lets go off her hand, and then disappears behind into his closet. He reappears minutes later, holding a simple medium-sized black box with a red ribbon tied around it carefully placed in his hands. Her eyes widen with surprise. _Did he…get me something too? _She wonders as she places a hand over her mouth. Link opens it, and Zelda is at a loss for words. Inside was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen! It was silver, with little white crystals poking out at intervals, shaped like tiny daggers. But it was nothing compared to the extravagant black jewel in the middle of the necklace. It was obsidian black; oval shaped, and resembled a crystal ball, and if you stared into it for too long you could see your reflection.

"Oh Link..." Zelda says. "It's beautiful."

Link grins once again, and snaps the box shut. Zelda stares into his face through confused, hurt eyes. What was going on? _Could he be tricking me?_ Zelda wonders, but as she stares at Link's dark blue eyes, she could see no change in expression; he wasn't glaring, and he didn't look disgusted with her reaction, but… what in Hyrule was he doing? "You think so? That's great! It's for Midna, and I wanted to get your opinion on it. Thanks, Zelda." She couldn't help it; Zelda's mouth fell open, and feelings of hurt flashed in her eyes, which grew wider than she thought possible.

_It's for . . . Midna?_

**Part 4: From bad to worse**

Red and Pikachu were lost…_again._

Red sighs, and lowers the visor of his hat over his eyes. "I never was very good with directions…You should know that better than anyone, right Pikachu?" He asks the electric Pokémon, and Pikachu gives a cheerful chirp in reply. Red smiles, pats his friend's head, and then he decides to stop and take a break from their meaningless search, resting on a bench. "Then again, I might've gotten used to it eventually, if Crazy Hand would stop . . . _redecorating_ the house." He laughs, and then smirks at his cleverness. Pikachu laughs, and sparks fizzle out of his two electric pouches. It was one of the cutest things that the Pokémon could do, and the female Smashers often swooned over it. Speaking of females . . . Red found himself missing one of his best friends, Misty, whom he cared about a lot. He had invited her to the mansion, but she hadn't come. A sad look flashed across his eyes, but it is quickly replaced with determination. Just because his Christmas wasn't going well, it didn't mean that everyone else's Christmas had to be ruined! He narrows his eyes and then rises, once again taking up the search for the generator room.

But that didn't mean they would find it any sooner.

"Ugh, not again . . . wait; I know exactly what we can do! Squirtle, Ivysaur, Charizard, come out!" He shouts as he tosses his three Pokéballs in the air. Three red beams of light streak through the air, and soon Red's three other Pokémon appeared, all happy to be out and ready to work. "Okay everybody, we need to find the generator room, so split up and holler if you find anything." He commands, and the Pokémon nod their heads and split off into different hallways, while Red and Pikachu went down one of the hallways together.

Opening every door in the large hallway, Red and Pikachu really weren't having much luck, but they had new hope that they would actually find what they were looking for with Red's other Pokémon also on the hunt for the elusive generator room. They look inside one of the Smashers room this time, and are quick to realize whose room it was. After all, who else would have charred carpet, a place to put a double-sided sword, but had an otherwise perfectly spit-and-span room? It could only be Ike. But one thing was rather curious about the blue-haired sword master's room: it had a huge present sitting squat in the middle of it. "I wonder who that could be for . . ." Red ponders aloud, and Pikachu murmurs his agreement. "Want to find out?" Red asks mischievously, and Pikachu eagerly nods. They approach the present apprehensively, just in case any bobby traps were on the floor, but for no reason, because they were quick to realize that they were safe. Pikachu gently cuts the dark blue wrapping paper with his claws, and the rip causes a tear in the paper that makes it big enough to look inside. "What is this . . . it looks a lot like . . . could it be?" Red examines the strange hunk of metal before him closer than before, and then takes a step back out of realization."It is! This must be Samus's armor! But what does Ike want with it? You think he fixed it up for her as a present?" He asks his comrade as he touches the armor, but then recoils as if it was a hot flame, not sure whether it would set off an alarm or worse, it would alert Ike. Once again he could ignore his apprehensions, because nothing happens. He shakes his head dismissively and then smirks, the glint in his eye making him look rather devious. "Looks like we know who Ike likes . . . Pikachu, I think we have ourselves a blackmailing opportunity." He chuckles and Pikachu does one of his famous slow motion rolls victoriously. They high-five and then they seal the present back, scurrying out the door and down the hall, closing the door with a soft _click_!

And that's when everything went downhill.  
And boy, did it go downhill _fast._

First, Red hears the frantic cries of his Squirtle, followed by Ivysaur and Charizard, all of which sounded panicked and surprised. Red turns around and shots down the hall, Pikachu following close at his heels. They make their way down the hallway where they had seen Squirtle disappear to earlier, and opens every door franticly, causing quite the commotion as they tear apart rooms faster than a tornado.

But Squirtle was nowhere to be found.

Red slams his fist into the wall angrily, but wastes no time as he hastily makes his way down the hallway where Ivysaur's cries had been coming from. Once again coming up empty, Red furiously glares and charges down the third hallway as he hears his Charizard still fighting it out with whatever was trying to hurt him. "Pikachu, use quick attack and get to Charizard as fast as you can, now!" He shouts, and the mouse barely nods before he speeds off like a bullet down the hallway. _But is it fast enough? What's going on here? Whatever it is, they're going to regret messing with my Pokémon! _Red thinks as his determination only makes him faster and more agile, his feet barely touching the ground as he follows the direction of Pikachu's dust trail. He makes it into the room, and his eyes go wide with shock. All of his Pokémon were trapped in a cage, and were being lifted out of the mansion before his very eyes.

"No!" Red screams as he leaps into the air, trying to catch up with them, but they had become a speck in the mockingly happy sky before he had even made it a few feet. He looks up into the sky, horrified and saddened at the same time, a tear making its way down his face. _And I thought Christmas was bad enough already . . . now it's official: this is the worst Christmas ever. _Red thinks gloomily as he stares up into the sky. It felt like a hole had been ripped through him; it was the worst possible pain, though he wasn't hurt at all. All that remained was the sad realization:

Red's Pokémon, his best friends, were gone.

**Part 5: The Realization**

Since everyone else was busy, Master Hand had placed it upon himself to go and check on the little Smashers. However, there was only one slight roadblock with his quest.

_The little squirts were scary good at hide-and-seek! _

Master Hand had yet to find any of the younger Smashers: Not Popo, Nana, Ness, Lucas, Toon Link or any of the Pokémon who had joined them. Also, he had yet to find Red and Pikachu, though he wouldn't be surprised if they had gotten lost on their way of to the generator room. Crazy Hand enjoyed changing around the order of the rooms and the positions of the wings in the mansion every year, and it had a way of confusing people for a few months until they got used to it. However, recently he had gotten into the bad habit of changing them around every week, and sometimes every day. Master Hand normally didn't raise complaints against his brother, but it might be time to have a talk with him about him about playing around with the rooms like they were the pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle, with which he could do whatever he pleased. Grumbling, he curls his body into a fist, and decides to get back to his search. He primarily looks inside the rooms of the younger Smashers, thinking that, logically, it would be where they would hide, since they knew they weren't allowed to go into the rooms of the older Smashers, and they were banned from the weapons room due to an . . _. incident_ that had happened last year, involving Samus's bounty hunter suit and a very large hole in the wall.

_Speaking of the weapons room . . ._

Master Hand was now floating in front of the large door that lead into the weapons room, and he couldn't help but inwardly smile. The weapons were the best thing about Smash mansion, and each year he loved to research every single one and see how they worked. One of the best had been the laser guns and the Smash Balls, his own personal favorite. It gave each Smasher incredible power, so how could one not be interested in its mechanics? Master Hand enters the weapons room eagerly, his very presence daunting and proud. A wave of his hand, and the invisibility shield was lifted, and all you saw were the pretty little toys that were used during Brawls in the mansion.

At least you would, if any of them were there!

Master Hand gasps, and stares at the room in utter horror. _Where had all of the weapons gone? _He wonders, as he spastically searches the room, looking in every nook and cranny of the place, but he finds nothing. "Whatever kind of sick prank this is, it had better end now!" Master Hand roars out loud, as his hand curls into a fist into a fist of rage.

"Master Hand! Master Hand!"

Master Hand whiplashes around, expecting to find one of the smaller Smashers, but instead he sees Red, his face twisted into equally emotional looks, one look full of concern and one look filled with pure furry. "What is it, Red? Do you need help finding the generator?" He asks, calmer now as he turns away from the empty weapons room. "Sir, it's my Pokémon! They're all gone! They were taken while we were looking for the generator, and they were just taken away, by something in the sky!" Master Hand's worry increases as he starts to put two and two together.

Red's Pokémon were gone.  
The little Smashers were nowhere to be found.  
The weapons room was empty.  
They had no power in the Mansion.

"Red, I need you to go and look in every room, to see if any of the Smasher' personal weapons are gone." He demands, and Red nods, not giving his request a second thought before he dashes off to the first room on the left. But Master Hand's assumptions would be proven correct, as he heard loud complaints from every room of weapons being stolen. _This is worse than I thought. This is an all out attack! _Master Hand tenses as he realizes that without weapons, Pokémon or the little Smashers, Smash Mansion was completely and utterly powerless. Only one person came to mind as far as who to blame, and it was perhaps the most terrifying fact of all.

Tabuu and the Subspace Army were back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Tarryn: Welcome to Chapter Two of my Christmas Fanfiction! I'm so pleased to see all the happy reviews; they really make me want to write more! Hopefully this chapter is just as good if not better and more exciting than the last. I still haven't decided on the number of Chapters, so just stay tuned for more! Anyway enjoy the Chapter, and Happy Smashing!**

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**Part One: Completely useless?**

_Chaos._

That was the only word to describe the absolute madness that was currently plaguing Smash Mansion; all the weapons had been stolen, the children vanished, possibly to never return, and then the even more haunting realization that Tabuu was closing in on the mansion while they were lounging around like powerless sitting ducks made all the Smashers panic, to the point where they had started to ask the answers to obvious questions that didn't need to be asked. All of these things were slowly transforming Master Hand into the poster boy (or poster _hand)_ for a chill pill commercial . . . _before_ they had taken the pill. "Mario, what's missing from your room again? Right, mushrooms . . . What about you Pit? Your bow and arrows! But wait, didn't Rosalina just charm yours with a protection spell? Well that's good; at least Tabuu won't be able to use it against us." He sighs exasperatedly as he mentally pictured himself strangling a good majority of Smashers, starting with his brother, who was currently trying to decipher what was going on. "Hey, I need to talk to Master Hand! What's happening? Bro.!" He gives a frustrated sigh as his shouts fall to the deaf ears of his brother. Finally he decides to poke his older brother impatiently, each time chanting a chorus of similar questions in an increasingly annoying voice. Master Hand suddenly snaps his fingers, and everyone's mouth disappears from their face, leaving an awkward slab of skin (or fur) in its place. He turns towards Crazy Hand, his body coiled tightly into a fist of rage. He remains silent for a moment, but then let's out a menacing, powerful shout as his anger boiled over.

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone was still silent because of their mouth's being removed, but everyone's eyes were startled and fear-filled as they watch the usually calm Master Hand lose his temper. Suffice to say; had they been given the choice of being silent, they would have done it. Crazy Hand was slightly more used to these sudden outbursts (as he was normally the one who caused them) so he was able to keep calm. Or at least it was calm by Crazy Hand standards. It was rather hard to tell how calm he truly was without a mouth to say anything with. "You all need to keep quiet! I realize the severity of the situation, but that does not mean you all have to go around panicking like a flock of chickens with their heads chopped off!" Master Hand bellowed as he faced the Smashers. "Well _I_ don't know what the severity of the situation is! No one tells me anything!" Crazy Hand complains after he reanimates his mouth . . . wherever it was. Master Hand faces him now, and he seemed calmer than he had been before his rant, but venom and extreme sarcasm entered his voice as he addressed his brother. "You want to know what happened, Crazy? Nothing. Nothing once so ever." Crazy Hand seems confused, and his fingers scratch the middle of his glove, as if he were contemplating something. "Really?" He asks in a hopefully tone."Of course not really you idiot! Our artillery is gone, along with the Smasher's personal artillery, not to mention the younger Smashers are nowhere to be found! You know what that means? They were probably kidnapped by Tabuu as bait for us! We're powerless!" He emphasizes the last word in an anguished cry, and after he speaks an empty silence fills the room, only to be broken by Crazy Hand.

"No we're not, bro."

It was Master Hand's turn to be confused now; he gestures at the Smashers, and an almost desperate sounding tone enters his voice. "What do you mean we're not powerless? None of them have their weapons! They can't fight without weapons, Crazy! I thought you knew that!" Crazy Hand's body shakes, a gesture similar to when someone with a head shakes it _no_. "Sometimes I wonder how you get along without me, bro.! What about Zelda? Samus? Mario? They all have powers without their main weapons. Right?" Master Hand sighs. "I suppose . . . But those three defeat Tabuu? By themselves? You really are crazy!" Crazy Hand once again shakes his head. "You're forgetting about two people . . . us! We can help the Smashers defeat Tabuu! They didn't steal our powers either!" Master Hand seems startled by this realization. "You . . . You're actually right! We could help the Smashers, if they wanted our assistance, of course." He says in his usual monotonous voice, as he flicks his wrist quickly, and all the Smashers got their mouths back. Zelda speaks up now, though her voice was quiet, as if she had something to hide. "Actually . . . Link still has his sword and shield . . . I kind of- borrowed it. But only to fix it for Christmas! It was invisible, so Tabuu couldn't have gotten to it." She says with an assuring nod to the crowd as well as to herself, and she turns away to go and fetch it. Ike also speaks, smirking to himself. "Samus has her full armor as well, I made some adjustments to it, and it was all wrapped up. Tabuu might not have recognized it." He also turns away and dashes for his room, Samus following at his heels. Soon Smash Mansion was bustling with the realization that the presents they had gotten for the others probably wouldn't have been stolen either! The atmosphere lifts as everyone goes into their rooms once again, this time getting the presents they had carefully hidden in closets, drawers and secret passageways they had built.

"Looks like we're not powerless after all." Master Hand murmurs, maneuvering his fingers to create a power ball of energy within the palm of his hand.

"Yeah, not to mention we get to open presents!" Crazy Hand chirps in reply, opening his own palm to create a puff of smoke, revealing a rather large box, classically adorned with red wrapping paper and a big green bow.

**Part Two: When men share their feelings (What's scarier than that?)**

Life had a strange way of coming back to haunt you when you least expect it. This, the Hylian Princess knew all too well. Take right now for instance.

Zelda dashes down the hall towards Link's room, where she had previously placed Link's present. She also made the rather idiotic decision of looking into Link's room, only to find it empty and full of bad vibes. Barely an hour ago had Zelda received the biggest blow to her heart ever: Link loved Midna, the Twilight Princess, and he didn't love her. He never had. Not only that, but now she had to give him the present she had gotten for him, which was only going to create a whole new level of awkwardness between the two. It was already bad enough that she had looked like a fool! She was lucky they had been called to a meeting right after he had shown the necklace to her, so Link didn't get the chance to notice how distraught she had been. Soon Zelda feels her lungs cease to function at the thought of Link seeing her in her weakness, and she is unable to breathe for a short time; her skin becomes pale and her eye become wild and panicked at the thought. But soon she regains the ability to obtain oxygen, and she spastically takes in as much air as possible. She tries to wipe all the emotion off of her face, in case someone should find her, but it doesn't work out as well as she desires. Still her eyes are two deep blue pools of despair, and she hates herself for it. _Why am I still so upset? It's pathetic! I need to get over it! Link doesn't love me, he doesn't love me . . . _Eventually those words become a sad lullaby that she repeats in her mind as well as out loud; but a pair of loud footsteps echoing through the hall soon interrupts her chanting, and she quickly silences herself.

"Zelda?"

_Speak of the devil . . . _

Zelda quickly uses her magic to reveal Link's Master Sword and Hylian Shield. She grabs them and then rises, stopping as she comes face to face with the heartbreaker himself. She shoves the weapons at his chest. "Here, I thought you'd need your weapons if we're going to fight Tabuu. But don't worry about thanking me, it not necessary. Actually, why don't you leave me alone for awhile? It'd be for the best, don't you agree?" She says crossly, almost startled by how much venom she had put into her voice. "Zelda, wait! We really need to talk about this. Just let me explain! I know I hurt you, but I want to make it right." Zelda sighs, and places her head in her hands. "You needn't fix anything, Link. This is just me being stupid. I-I'll talk to you later, alright?" She says coolly, and Link stares at her in bewilderment. Zelda then hastily makes her way down the corridor, not taking a single glance back before she makes her way back into the sparsely populated Common room.

Link tore his hands through his hair in frustration. _This is really bad . . . We were called down into the Common room before I had the chance to explain. Now Zelda's upset with me, and we're two of the few people who can go on the expedition to defeat Tabuu; along with Samus, Yoshi and Mario. It's going to take more teamwork than ever, and right now, we're anything but a team. _Enraged, Link gives his famous battle cry and swings his sword harshly through the air, causing it to create a deep slash mark on the soft hardwood underfoot.

"Whoa now, keep doing that and someone might think you're upset. Let me guess, girl issues?"

Startled, Link turns around quickly, only to see that Red was standing before him; though how long the Pokémon trainer had been watching, he wasn't sure. But despite the fact that he usually scolded those who tried to meddle in his personal business, he merely offered a grin of defeat. "That obvious?" He questions, his deep blue eyes flickering down towards the hardwood ground, then back up at the other Smasher's dark ones. Red smirks at his ability to see right through the young hero, and he nods. "Kind of. Then again . . ." He says as he settles against the wall at the opposite side of the abandoned passageway. "It takes one to know one." Link looks at the other boy's expression, only to find it devoid of anything but sadness. "You, too?" He asks the other male curiously. Red now nods, pushing up the lid of his favorite hat with his thumb. "I have this friend, her name's Misty. We were good friends back when I traveled around my home region. I invited her to come here for Christmas, but she never came. Not to mention all of my Pokémon are gone . . ." The same sadness reflected in his eyes before was present in his voice now, and Link offered a reassuring smile. "Hey don't worry! We'll get your Pokémon back, and I'm sure your friend will come eventually. Christmas isn't over yet, right? You shouldn't be so down. You should thank your lucky stars you're not me right now: I have a girl who thinks I don't think of her as more than a friend, all because . . ." He trails off, not finishing his sentence. Red raises an eyebrow curiously. "Because of what?" He inquires, a familiar edge creeping into his voice which made it sound like he was being hostile, but really he was just curious. Link shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. I'll make it right with her eventually. But now we have to fight together; and I'm not sure how well our teamwork will be if she hates me." He responds with a sigh, the melancholy note that ruptures from his vocal chords making him sound like a kicked puppy. "If only Tabuu hadn't decided to crash our Christmas." He drones on gloomily. Red couldn't help but agree with his sentiments, but a playful smirk soon plasters itself across his lips as he comes to a rather humorous realization. Link raises an eyebrow at him, urging him to share his thoughts aloud.

"At least we're not Ike and Samus right now."

Link chuckles heartily, and the lightheartedness of the atmosphere is restored somewhat as the two share amused glances.

"I couldn't agree more."

**Part Three: Admissions and Ammunition **

Only one word described the situation between Samus and Ike right now.

What was that word, exactly?

_Awkward._

The warrior and the bounty hunter search down yet another mixed up corridor for Ike's room, but only to find out that Ike's familiar door wasn't among those in the hall (If either of them had been in their right minds, they would have realized that Crazy Hand had once again changed the order of the rooms). Samus's eyebrows furrow together, as she bites her lip, trying to find the right words to say.

"So . . ."

"So . . ."

"You got me a present . . ."

Ike gulps, and then sub-consciously runs a hand through his cyan locks. _What exactly do I say to that? It seems like she wants a simple answer, but I know she's thinking the same thing I am. _He shakes his head, knowing he shouldn't be wasting time contemplating a reply when a simple word could set him free. "Yes." He responds, and Samus suddenly stops and forcefully pins him to the wall, her eyes full of malice. He isn't sure whether to be scared, worried, happy, or an odd mixture of the three, but Samus stops his thoughts as she parts her lips to speak. "What's going on with you Ike? One second you're acting like we're sworn enemies, destined to kill each other, and the other we're in Happy-Friendship Land, and that's when . . ." Ike frowns as he watches her stare at the ground. _What is she talking about? She's the one who's always so aggressive! _Ike thinks when suddenly she lets go of him, and stares at the ground, anxiety swimming in her eyes. "That's when . . . what? What are you trying to say Samus?" Ike demands, hoping that his stern tone would draw the answer out of her. She shakes her head, taking a step away from him, only to be countered by Ike taking a step towards her. He places a reassuring hand on her shoulder, tilting her face upwards so that they were looking into each other's eyes. "You can tell me, Samus." He says firmly, his eyes gentle and coaxing. Samus bites her lip again, but then she responds quietly.

"That's when I never want you to leave."

Ike's eyes widen and his jaw drops open as he can only stare at the blonde for a moment. She takes full advantage of his reaction, and takes the hand he has on her shoulder, and yanks it over her head, dragging Ike over with it. His head smacks into the ground, and he gives a cry at the sudden burst of pain. "What was that for?!" He snaps her, and she only glares at him. "I saw your reaction! You were absolutely appalled! I knew I shouldn't have said anything. I was so stupid!" She exclaims with a frustrated shout, as she races off down the path where they had came from. "Samus, wait! That wasn't because I was disgusted! I was just surprised! Please Samus, come back!" But she was gone now; probably to do her own search for Ike's room sp she could retrieve her armor. No matter what she thought of him, she would still need her armor to go fight Tabuu. _Well then, I'll just have to beat her there. _Ike thinks determinedly as he dashes off the opposite way, hoping to find his room first. He curses Crazy Hand under his breath as he went; angry that he had changed the room around, though he also cursed himself for not realizing it sooner, and cursed himself for letting Samus get away. He had let it happen way too often, and he was sick of it.

He wasn't letting her go this time.

He frantically sprints down the hallway opposite Samus, remembering that they hadn't checked it yet. He hoped it would be his lucky hallway, and to his surprise it was. He spots his door at the very end of the hall , so he continues his mad rush to get to his room first by dashing down the hall, unlocking the door and slipping inside. Once again he finds himself having some luck, because Samus wasn't in his room yet. He sits on his bed with a thump, and tries to do something he doesn't often like to do;

He waits.

Ike doesn't have to wait very long before he sees the door eased open, and a few stray blonde hairs ignite into glimmering strands of gold in the sunlight that is just peeking over the mountains. Soon Samus emerges from the crack in the doorway, though upon seeing Ike, she stops cold and glares. "Wait Samus! Just let me talk to you." Ike says. Samus says nothing, but sits down in one of the soft, flame-resistant chairs he had in his room. "Look, the only reason I was so shocked is because I wasn't expecting you to say something like that. But I'm glad you said it. Because . . ." He stops as he gazes at Samus, who was busying herself with un-wrapping her newly refurbished armor and not paying him any mind. He turns her around so that she'd listen.

"Because I like you too."

Samus feels her face heat as she gazes at Ike. _He likes me too? _She thinks, and her face lights up with new feelings of happiness, which was very uncharacteristic for her. But that's what Ike did: He made her feel happy, even when she was in her absolute worse moods. She wriggles out from under his strong arms, and then finishes getting her armor unwrapped and free of any traces of wrapping paper. She situates herself inside, and then walks towards the door, but before she leaves, she opens up the green shade that hid her face, and smiled at him. "Thank you for telling me that. Maybe . . . maybe we could be more than friends, but I'll need to think about it. Not to mention I need to come back alive." She smirks. Ike crosses the small distance between them, and once again their eyes are parallel to each other, but their gazes were now filled with a newfound passion. Slowly Ike inches even closer to Samus, so close that there is virtually no distance, and their noses touch briefly. Ike smirks, and he kisses Samus's lips softly. "You're the strongest girl I know, Samus. You'll be fine. Just . . . be careful, okay?" He says, and she nods, smirking. "Don't go soft on me now, Ike, or I might have to smack you upside the head." Ike smirks and takes a step back, standing next to her as they head for the Common room.

"At least I'm not the one who said 'Happy-Friendship Land.'"

Samus gives him a good shove, though she was smiling as she stares at him. _This might work out . . . I just hope I don't make the wrong decision._

Liking someone had always been like a disease to Samus Aran, something to avoid because people could get hurt.

_But maybe . . ._

Maybe this time, it just might work.

**Part Four: Where oh where have all the little Smashers gone?**

Lucas was running.

He pants as air ceases to fill his lungs, but he refuses to stop. His legs burn beneath him, a hot fiery pain that he only felt after a really intense Brawl or practice. It hurt him more than he mentally thought his body could hurt, but still he pushed himself on. Anything to get away from the monster that was chasing him. It was the same beast that had haunted him since he had come to Smash Mansion: Porky. It was a paranoia that had never really gone away; a mere smasher could come up behind him with huge, familiar footsteps, and he would still scamper away like a terrified little child. His best friend Ness was trying to help him get over his fear, but that didn't help him when he was stuck in this endless, looping nightmare that plagued him every night, like the scary dreams you have after watching a scary movie. As per his usual routine in this dream, he was running away from something like a scared little mouse, however he was being chased by something far worse than any cat. He expects Porky to pop up out of nowhere at any given moment, but to his surprise an arrow whisks past his face, so close it makes his ears ring after it passes. He whimpers as he runs faster, but only to hit a hard slab of rock head-on. He cries out in pain as he collided onto his back painfully. Slowly he opens his brightly colored azure eyes as he stares at the rock, only to find that it wasn't quite what it seemed. It was a Primid! He scrambles away, frantic, but another arrow whisks past his face, so he couldn't turn the other way. Lucas trembles, but then memories flash in the forefront of his mind of the last time he had seen those arrows.

It was when Ness had sacrificed himself for him, temporarily becoming Wario's trophy.

_Ness . . ._

Ness had been like an older brother to Lucas, and had taught him so any things about his psychic powers, and about conquering his fears. He now asks himself the same question he often asks himself in times of crisis:

_What would Ness do?_

Suddenly, Lucas realizes what he must do. He turns around, and plants his feet firmly on the ground, remembering Ness's first lesson on how performing a spell accurately depended on standing with two feet firmly on the ground. He shuts his eyes and then extends his arms, placing his outstretched arms together as he fires a spark of flame from his hands. The Primid bursts into flame and then explodes, but then it dissolves into the all too familiar mass of tiny purple beads;

But instead of disappearing like usual, the tiny beads gather into a small cluster of discontent.

And they chase after Lucas!

The little drops of poison follow Lucas as he races away, because he knows that he can't burn them, but he might be able to outrun them. But as with all bad dreams, something bad has to happen. And this time the bad something comes in the form of a tree root.

Just like when he was running away from Porky.

Only this time, Ness wasn't going to be around to save him.

He can only shake as he struggles to escape the trap he had fallen so easily into, but he is unable to stop the purple bead from finding him. They come, and one by one they latch onto him, until he is covered in an ominous purple aura, complete with a pair of beady yellow eyes.

He was evil now.

Lucas gasps as he awakens from the terrifying nightmare. He struggles to remember what it was about as his brain comes back into reality, and the fragments of the dreams slip away, like the spindles of a dandelion that drift away into the wind, soundless and almost magical. However, Lucas did remember one part of his dream very clearly: his body ensnared in a purple shadow, and his eyes becoming a beady yellow. That could only mean one thing, but Lucas wasn't sure he wanted to believe it.

Had he been turned . . . _evil_?

"Hey! He's finally awake! Lucas, over here! Lucas!"

Lucas turns around to the sound of the familiar voice, and he comes face-to-face (or rather, cage-to- cage) with the smiling face of Nana. "Nana!" Lucas exclaimed, and soon he spots all of the other little Smashers: Pikachu, Diddy Kong, Toon Link, Popo, Kirby and Ness. He grins as he sees them. "You're all here! I'm glad I can see you, I just had the worst dream…" He muses, as he becomes more in tune to his surroundings. "Um, you guys? Where are we?" He asks, around the cramped metal room they were in, as well as the humming cage he appeared to be trapped inside. "We were snuck up on by Bowser and his thugs! They put us all in specific cages that decrease or counteract our powers; we can't escape them!" Toon Link exclaims hot-temperedly. "Poyo poyo!" Kirby agrees, opening his mouth to try to suck up one of the bars, but they were so strong that his sucking power didn't work. Pikachu gave a jolt of his electric energy, but it merely ricochets off his cage and comes back to zap him instead. "Rubber . . ." Lucas realizes as he gives the cage a closer look. He turns around to face Ness. "So how do we get out?" He asks, and Ness gives a shrug. "I dunno, but we have to find some way out." He says, and Lucas nods agreeably. "Don't you think we should just wait for the other Smashers?" Nana asks, and Lucas shakes his head. "No! We can't do that! We got into this tournament ourselves, didn't we?" Mutual nods were shared amongst the group. "Exactly! We didn't need the big Smashers then, and we don't need them now! We can do this!" Lucas says, raising his fist in as a sign of protest. Everyone else raises their fist, and pumps it into the air, cheering as they begin to discuss ways they could escape. "We just have one problem, Lucas." Ness proclaims, and that gets him the attention of all the Smashers. "What's that?" Lucas asks Ness, and Popo interrupts Ness, responding promptly.

"While you were asleep, we found out that there is a new way the Subspace Army can control us. Those little purple beads that Primids come from? Apparently they've engineered them to be able to control people, even us." Gasps we're shared around his group. "And we're the test dummies." Toon Link murmurs darkly. Lucas's eyes grow wide as his dream comes flooding back.

Could it be that his dream hadn't been just a dream? Had it been a premonition? An even more heart-stopping realization comes to Lucas now, as he leans back against the bars of his cage. If his premonition was correct, he was going to become one of the evil people with the purple auras. The only way to defeat people with the strange purple shadows was to kill them.

So if they killed Lucas or any of the other Smashers while they were evil, they wouldn't be coming back; it wouldn't be just another Game Over.

They would die for real.

**Part Five: Prepare for battle!**

For once in his life, Master Hand was eager.

He was ready to fight Tabuu, and on the good side this time. This time he wasn't fighting for his own benefit.

This time he was fighting for his Smashers.

Tabuu was going to pay for he had done, but of course that was a given. Master Hand knew it was going to be the fight of his lifetime; him and Crazy Hand versus Tabuu. None of the Smashers now had some of their powers back, but at least had more than three fighters now. The ones who couldn't fight directly would stay behind and guard the mansion with canons created by Master Hand for exactly this kind of situation. Crazy Hand soon joins his brother on the balcony of his private study. "You ready for tomorrow, Bro.?" He asks, and Master Hand floats up and down to represent a yes. "Me too! I've been making all kinds of bombs . . . but do you think we're ready to fight Tabuu?" Crazy Hand asks, uncharacteristically serious. Then again, there were very dark times ahead, and dark times had a way of calming even the most restless of specters, even Crazy Hand. "I don't know, Crazy." Master Hand responds monotonously, revealing only the smallest hint that he had any doubts they would lose. "But I do know that the two of us have always been stronger than any foe we have ever faced. Tabuu should be no exception." He says in his monologue voice, sounding very thoughtful, not to mention he sounded almost as old as he truly was for once. Crazy Hand gives a chuckle. "You and your ego complex." He mutters, and Master Hand gives a low growl. "Only Kidding! You're right, we're two of the most powerful beings in this realm, but we're even stronger together, which is why I decided to give you this." He says cheekily, once again clutching the present he had earlier.

"You got that for . . . me?" Master Hand asks his brother curiously.

"Don't sound so surprised, Bro.! Of course it's for you!" He says cheerily, setting it on the ground so Master Hand could open it. He does so, and the excitement in his voice was obvious as he faces his brother. "Crazy, this is great! Two finger canons and a power amplifier!" He says as he places the rings with canons over his fingers, then carefully placing the power amplifier inside his glove. "That was the greatest present anyone has ever gotten me, thank you." He says sincerely. "No problemo bro.! Now let's go gather the Smashers and kick some Tabuu butt!" Master Hand does something odd for him, but it brings a smile to every Smashers face when they hear it.

Mater Hand laughs.

Crazy Hand chuckles and twists into the air happily. Once landed, the brothers fist-bump, and then open the large door that lead into Master Hand's private study. Once they made their exodus from his study, they float down the new jumbled path that would lead them into the Common Room where all of the Smashers were waiting for them. And for once, Master Hand didn't scold Crazy Hand about his meddling. They were friends, brothers and comrades in the same moment. But one thing was for sure.

If these two were going against Tabuu, he was going to be in for the smack-down of the century.

Impatiently waiting in the Great Room were all of the Smashers, however they knew better than to care if Master Hand and Crazy showed up late. But they arrived soon enough and they greeted the crowd cheerily, odd for the eve of a battle, but not that unusual after Crazy Hand loosened Master Hand up; he could actually be almost . . . friendly when Crazy did whatever it is Crazy does to make him let his guard down. Marth speaks up, clearing his throat as he addresses them formally.

"Masters."

Master Hand's body shakes as he gestures a greeting to the tiara wearing prince. "Smashers: Today we will be heading out into battle. I am aware that not all of you have your weapons; however we will be equipping you with some of the mansion's canons to protect the mansion whilst we are away. I entrust the safety of these sacred walls to you: Marth, Ike, Red, you will be the leaders of a small group of people who will assist you in the mission of finding the smaller Smashers. Each of you will receive a specific location that Crazy will be handing out, along with directions. Take no more than three of the Smashers who are not fighting in the battle against the Army." He ends his brief speech, and dismisses the three with a wave of his hand, though the three leaders were already picking out their small squadrons for the mission to save their small friends. "Zelda, Link, Mario, Yoshi, Fox, Falco and Samus, you will join Crazy Hand and I in the fight against the Subspace Army. Crazy Hand and I will deal with Tabuu, but we need you to be our backup and defense against the other creatures in the army. We must be prepared for the worst, so I expect you to be in top condition. Team up if you desire, but be warned that your partner must be able to think as you do, move as you do, and know what your battle code is. I expect nothing less than your best. This will be the fight of our lives; and if we succeed, Smash Mansion will finally be at peace. We leave at sundown." He commands, as he dismisses the crowd to disperse. Fox and Falco pair up, as well as Mario and Yoshi. Samus and Sonic decide to be a pair, leaving Link and Zelda as a team by default.

"Zelda . . ." Link says mournfully, looking at Zelda earnestly. Zelda sighs, and then gazes at Link. "I already told you I have no hard feelings. I will do what I must to protect the mansion, and I know you will do the same." Link nods, though he runs a hand through his hair nervously. If he and Zelda didn't work together, they would both be dead. Their lives depended on working together like they were two halves of the same whole. Him and Zelda had always been the best of friends, connected by the inseparable bond of the Tri-Force, so they were stronger when they fought together . . .

So why does he feel like this battle would be his last?

* * *

**Tarryn: Haha, don't think I've gone soft yet! SamIke is going to have a place in the big finale, so I needed them (sort of) together before then. Zelink will come in soon and I promise you won't be expecting anything that happens next! I should have the next chapter up before next Monday, and the finale out a week after that if I don't get swamped with school. Thanks for reading! See you next time, and don't forget to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Tarryn: Hello and welcome back to Chapter 3 of my Fanfiction! Special thanks to OldRivalShipper for being the only reviewer of the previous Chapter, thank you so much! I hope this Chapter once again lives up to expectations. One final note is that Chapter one has been edited so that it doesn't look so cramped** together.** No changes, but I thought you might like the chapter to be a bit easier on the eyes. Well that's all for now! Happy 2013, and enjoy the Chapter!**

* * *

**Part One: On the road again . . .**

Ever wonder how six Smashers, two Hands, and a very limited artillery travel towards a life-or-death situation?

You would assume that it would be something like this: A long monologue from Master Hand about teamwork, Crazy Hand giving a speech immediately afterwards that pretty much contradicted the whole thing, the Smashers having a fairly good time just being together as comrades again, though they would share their personal thoughts on Tabuu and how this situation pretty much scared the living daylights out of them. And in the end they would get to know each other a deeper level, making them the best of friends, and all of those things combined would give them a renewed fighting spirit that would help them win the battle in the end.

However, that was not the case.  
Not the case _at all._

It actually went something like this;

"Sonic, for the last time, _please_ stop running! You'll waste all of your energy getting to the battlefield and have no energy to fight." Master Hand pleaded, reaching his wits end as he watched the cocky young hedgehog once again attempt to challenge someone to a race and come up short because no one wanted to race against him. It had gotten so bad that it to have a rhythm: Sonic challenging a Smasher to a race, said Smasher turns him down, Sonic pouts and runs off, and Master Hand must remind him that they are, in fact, going off to a battle where all of them might not survive. Master Hand couldn't count on his single hand how many times he had _already _told Sonic the very same thing in the first leg of their journey, but this time it seemed to work; he began to walk, though not without a melancholy serenade of "Slowpokes." Master Hand once again contemplated his reason for running Smash Mansion, but Crazy Hand cackled at the constant repetition that was the object of his frustration rather than him; however he was cut short when Zelda joins him at his side with a contemplative look. "Crazy Hand, how can you possibly be so . . . so blasé about this whole situation? You're going to have to fight Tabuu! He was a handful for all of us Smashers, aren't you the least bit worried?" Crazy Hand erupted with laughter. "Me, worried? Never! The only thing I worry about is how much trouble I'll get in for my pranks! Swindling Master Hand isn't always easy, you know! But Tabuu has another thing coming if he wants to mess with us! I'm stronger than I look, and I'm sure you already know how strong Master Hand is!" Zelda raises her hands in a 'not gunna fight you there' gesture, but her eyes become clouded with thought. "I know how strong you both are, but Tabuu is still one of the strongest allies I've ever gone up against. Not to mention I know you surely can't have such a one-track mind. You sure you're not worried about this fight? Or even the slightest bit nervous about anything but simple pranks?" She asks the enormous Hand argumentatively as she takes a fleeting glance back towards the great hero of her kingdom. She knew _she_ certainly couldn't have a one-track mind. With just once glance her mind was bombarded with a thousand thoughts about what had come to pass between the two. She regretted saying the things she had said to him, and knew by the look on his face that he regretted what he had done, though he was probably more focused on _what_ he had done than taking time to regret it. Zelda knew she should apologize, but she just didn't know how. All of these things combined were the very reason why she was now stuck with Crazy Hand at the front of their small army, thought lucky for Crazy Hand; he didn't have to trudge through four inches of snow. It wasn't really a problem for people who could float, or people inside foot thick armor, but she was already feeling shivers race down her spine like a herd of wild mustangs. Zelda turns her full attention onto Crazy Hand again, who, without much warning, had started to respond to her inquiries. ". . . He won't be hard to beat when we put our heads together. As far as having a one-track mind, I guess you're right. I have been worried about other people. The Smashers, I mean. I worry that they might not come back, and I might never be able to see them again. And I worry about my brother. I mean, he doesn't need someone worry about him, but I still do." Zelda's smile starts inside, as a small happy flutter, but then quickly radiates outward as she meditates on his words. That was the Crazy Hand she was looking for. Someone who, while he played pranks and definitely lived up to his namesake, could actually have a conversation, and was truly dedicated to his job as assistant care-taker to the mansion. _That_ was the Crazy Hand who would be able to defeat Tabuu.

She just hoped he would stick around long enough to fight Tabuu.  
Otherwise, the outcome was . . . uncertain.

Zelda's thoughts once again the best of her, and she misses out on the fact that Master Hand had gotten in front of them, and had stopped the group. Link grasped her wrist and dragged her back before she hits Master Hand, and she flashes him a thankful look before she turns her head towards the front and tunes her ears to the conversation that seemed to be sweeping the odd bunch.

"I know this is not what you imagined when you pictured Christmas at the mansion."

_Well isn't __**that**__ the truth._

"However I hope you all know that no matter the outcome of this battle, we will still be a family. All of you know that in this battle, the odds are against us, but I know that you can do it. I may not seem like the most gracious of hosts, but I hope you know that . . . that I'm glad you all are with us at the mansion. Crazy's words actually made me think about why I have never given up my job, and I know why now. It's all because of you."

Everyone's mouth drops open as they hear his speech. Could this really be the Master Hand that had threatened to choke them all to death the first day at the mansion? Had they really changed his beliefs so much?

Did he really believe in them?

He appeared to. Which is why, in their heart of hearts, they knew why they were fighting, and they had new hope that they actually might win this battle.

If Master Hand actually believed in them, they could do anything.

. . .

_Couldn't they?_

**Part Two: When a little Smasher makes a big decision**

The mind breaks faster than the spirit; Lucas was actually okay with that.

At least he _thought_ he was.

Now he could feel his mind breaking in ways he hadn't even thought possible. He knew there was no possible way in the great wide world that he and his friends were getting out of here, but his mind was refusing to believe it. He was still subconsciously trying to think of a way out of here, or rather _another _way out of here, considering so many of their plans had failed already. But each failure had been married with a new cage, each one more complex than the last. He hadn't seen his friends in a week, maybe more. He might never see him again.

All because he wanted to be free.

Which was why Lucas was now sitting in the corner of his cage, wishing that his spirit would break into a million pieces of glass; and he would know what a million pieces of glass looked like from when Crazy Hand decided to blow up a window. All he wanted to do was give up. He was perfectly content with giving up and trying to get back to the cage he had been in before. At least then he would be able to see his friends. But now all of his thoughts were on the terrible things that had been shared before the group had been separated. About the "new and improved" dark beads, and how they had all been threatened with becoming weapons if they didn't behave.

He had to trust that his friends were safe.

So why did he feel like they weren't?

More importantly, why did he feel like he was next?

Trembling, Lucas holds his hands out and creates a small ball of electricity to shed some light around the room, even if it was sparse. He couldn't see much, just the outline of the concrete cage that surrounded him. He sighs as he figures out what he already knew. He was trapped inside here, with no one to keep him from going completely insane from loneliness. He leans against the side of his cage, pleased that this time the cage wasn't buzzing with electricity. _How many cages ago had that been? Three? Four? I just can't remember. . . _Lucas frowns as he tries his best to focus on that question. It was really a pointless question, but that was exactly the reason he was thinking about it. He needed a distraction. But he didn't need one for long.

Because just as he started to think about it, he heard the voice.

"Ness? Diddy Kong? Pikachu? Lucas? Anyone? Please, somebody answer!"

"N-Nana, Is that you? Can you hear me? Where are you?"

Luckily, Lucas didn't have to wait long before he got a reply. "Lucas! Oh thank goodness, I thought I was the only one left!" Lucas's eyebrows furrowed at that statement. "The only one left? Nana, what are you talking about? Did something happen? What's going on?!" He must restrain himself from outright shouting at Nana, demanding an answer, and instead he awaits her reply patiently as he could. "Oh, things have been just awful, Lucas! I saw Ness being carried away, then Kirby, and then they took Popo . . ." At the mention of her brother, sobs break her words into only semi-understandable chunks that Lucas only gets bits and pieces of. ". . . they got everyone . . . just know that they're evil . . . don't want to go . . ." Lucas tries to keep his cool as he listens to her fractured sentences. "Don't worry about it, Nana. We'll get out of here together. I know you're scared, but you need to be strong, alright? Now, can you tell me what type of cage you're in?" A pause. "I-I'm in a concrete cage, with heated coils on the inside. I-I can't see them, but I know they are there, I can feel them." Lucas nods, making a blueprint of the cage in his mind as he closes his eyes, sitting with his legs crossed on the uncomfortable bottom of his cage. He meditates, trying to gather as much of his psychic energy as possible. He had only seen someone break through concrete once. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that he needed to do the same exact spell without fail not once, but two times. He knew he wasn't leaving without Nana. He just didn't have it in him. He wasn't the type of person to only fight for himself; he was a family person through and through. However today that very thing could be his fatal flaw.

"Lucas, what are you doing?" Nana interrupts his focus with a noise that made her sound like she was pouting, and it honestly wouldn't surprise Lucas. Then again, she_ is_ the one who just lost her twin brother, the only friend she had ever really had before she had come to the mansion. Lucas was actually really happy he had her . . . maybe a little too happy. Did he have a crush on Nana? Maybe. And that's why he couldn't bring himself to yell at her, even if she had made him lose his focus. "I'm just trying to do a spe- Nana! I did it!" Lucas grins as he watches the little green sparks sizzle within his fingertips. Thrusting the energy forward with all the force he could muster, Lucas watches as the green sparklers slither into the concrete. They disappear for a moment, and in that split second Lucas wonders if he had done it right, when the concrete explodes in a flash of flame and smoke, sending him flying back towards the wall.

Was crashing fun? No.  
Was being free fun? You betcha.

Lucas grins victoriously as he massages the places where bruises would be forming in the next day or two, but for now he ignored the pain, and focused on doing . . . whatever it was he had done again. Closing his eyes again, he occupies his thoughts with those of the spell, Nana, Ness and the others, who he hoped he would be able to free now that he was free.

If there was even a chance they were alive.

Those evil thoughts plague Lucas, and he struggles to keep his concentration for very long. Soon he is trembling, and where sparks had once been, there was now only air. Soon tears flood his vision, and he is unable to stop his tears. The only thing he can truly see are the fears of his friends being gone forever, of him never seeing them again. Of himself, going into battle for the Subspace army when all he had ever wanted was to fight for Smash Mansion and bring peace to the galaxy. "Lucas, it's alright. I'm scared too. But I know that we'll get out of here. You need to believe that too, alright?" Nana's voice rings through the imaginary shadows that were encircling his mind, and, like a bright ray of hope that shines through the darkness, Lucas feels power surge through him once again. He gives a battle cry, and shots the emerald sparks from his fingertips once again, this time going towards Nana's cage, where they resided safely until the cage bursts open with a burst! Nana springs out, running towards Lucas, where she hugs him forcefully. "Lucas! Lucas, I'm safe! Thank you!" She exclaims. Lucas nods, and then turn around to face the door. They face their only path towards freedom.

That's when the alarm sounds.

Loud and menacing, it rings through the air at such a frequency that Lucas and Nana must cover their ears, but that doesn't keep them from running. They run fast as they could, running out the door (which had opened thanks to the alarm) and down each hallway, facing each dead end and each Primid filled hallway with rising anxieties and increasing speed as they struggle to find their way out of the prison they had been kept in for much too long.

However they had forgotten about one small detail: the other little smashers

But they remembered once they saw their friends standing before them, covered in purple auras.

Nana screams as she sees them, and Lucas struggles to do anything but hold his own scream back, let alone stop her. These were their friends, and they had to fight them. Worse, they had to finish them off, permanently. He wasn't sure he could do it. But he had to . . . right? He had to kill them? They weren't their friends anymore; they were tools, mere vessels used by the Subspace army to prevent their escape because they knew they wouldn't be able to stop them any other way. But that didn't change the fact that Ness still looked like his best friend, Popo still looked like Nana's brother, and Diddy Kong still looked like himself too. It was sickening, the torture they were placing upon the two; really it was. They were trying to make them do things that even adults would never have to do.

Most adults wouldn't have to kill their best friend.

Most adults wouldn't have to kill their twin brother.

Lucas still wasn't going to back down though. Gathering his hands together, he created another ball of electricity that he shot out of his palms and skyrocketing up towards the ceiling, where the skylight is smashed into tiny glass darts, raining down on them like deadly sleet. "Nana, use your climbing gear to get up to the top, we can escape that way!" Lucas shouts over the sounds of the crash. "B-But what about our friends? We can't just leave them!" Nana shouts despairingly, her voice starting to quaver. "I know you don't want to, but we have to. It's the only way we'll get out of here! They're too far gone to save them by ourselves; don't you get that? Now we need to go!" Lucas shouts, teary-eyed but still trying to hold his own. Nana once again beings to cry, her tears matching the shower of glass sill cascading from the sky, nut she does as asked, and soon her climbing rope is attached to the top of the strange facility. She grasps his hand, and leads him on and up the rope as don't take a second glance down at the foreign figures down below.

If they did, they would have noticed that Ness had grabbed Lucas's leg.

Lucas struggles to get free, trying to kick with his other foot, trying to get out of Ness's grasp, but soon Diddy Kong and Kirby assist him, Kirby sucking Nana and Lucas downward, and Diddy Kong helping Ness yank him off. He bites his lip, and then loosens his grip on Nana's tiny, gloved hand. "Nana, this isn't going to work out for the both of us." He says sadly, looking down at the things below. Things that used to be their friends, but now were only weapons bent on destruction. "Don't act stupid Lucas! We'll get out of this, we will!" Lucas shakes his head. "No, Nana. One of is getting out of here, and we both know who that is." Nana stops climbing and looks down at him fearfully. "No! You can't leave me, Lucas! I already lost Popo; I'm not losing you too!" Lucas isn't listening at this point. All he cares about is the too tight grip on Nana's hand. A grip that he was slowly releasing. "Nana, you listen to me. You need to get out of here! Master Hand will have a way to change use back, but you have to tell him what's going on, or we're all done for!" He is screaming at her now, though it isn't what she wants to tell her. He wants to tell her something different.

"Nana, you also need to know something."

_Because I might never get the chance to tell you._

"Lucas, tell me later! Come on!"

"No, Nana! I'm letting go, but I have to tell you."

_Because I know what's going to happen. I had the premonition, but ignored it. But now that my time has run out, I can't risk not telling you._

"I love you."

And with that, he fell into the awaiting shadows below.

**Part Three: Tabuu vs. the Hands**

_This is it . . ._

Master Hand faces his Smashers, his voice becoming somber as he speaks to them, possibly for the last time. "Okay, we all know the plan, but now it's time to put it into action. Each of the three teams will either be assigned to a specific world, or you will be assigned to be our backup team." Master Hand slowly drifts backwards, but his voice still held as much of a presence as his body. "With that, Crazy will decide who will be doing what job." Crazy Hand soon takes his brother's place, chuckling as he appears, bouncing in midair. "Okay! So I think that our backup team should be Samus and Sonic, as they have both speed and power, which is what we will need. Zelda and Link will be the first Line of defense, and then Mario and Yoshi should either be fighting alongside them, or make a second line of defense behind them. Does that sound good to everyone?" He asks, withholding yet another chuckle. Everyone nods, and Samus and Sonic give each other weary looks at Crazy Hand's apparent mental disarray. Zelda gazes up at him with a look of apprehension. "Pray tell, Crazy Hand, why are you so giddy? I know you're not the slightest bit nervous, but is that any reason to be jumping around like you're on a trampoline?" She inquires, her eyes glazed with an almost pleading stare. She really wanted him not to have such a positive outlook on this battle; one false move and the results would be disastrous for all of them. "Because I just know we're going to win! Tabuu doesn't stand a chance against me and my bro., and he should be very afraid of what is to come!" He cheers, and everyone shares the same defeated look. "Crazy, you really shouldn't be so optimistic. Tabuu might have new powers that we're not expecting, are you sure you want to go in there with your mind in La La land?" Master Hand demands as he tries to reason with Crazy Hand.

And if you didn't see how wrong that sentence was go ahead and re-read it.

Finally Mario interrupts the bickering bunch. "I don't-a mean to interrupt, but we're a-here." He says in his thick Italian accent, as he points a white-gloved finger over towards the staircase leading deep into Subspace, not to mention the Final Destination, where the real fight would take place. Samus and Sonic bid farewell to the rest of the group as the head up the stairs with Mater Hand and Crazy, Samus rolling around in her ball, and Sonic was finally able to run, and let his wild spirit be free.

"Good luck." Zelda whispers as she watches their decent up the stairs, though it doesn't take long before she can no longer see their silhouettes against the bright expanse of blinding sunlight at the top of the stairs. She wasn't able to muse on her last wishes long though.

Because almost as soon as the four disappear, Nana comes running up towards them . . .

_Alone._

Master Hand takes one long look back towards the bottom of the stairs, and is able to see the small figure of Nana running up to them, but he has no time to contemplate the reason for her sudden appearance.

Tabuu was waiting.

They keep a good pace up the grand staircase, each step smaller than the last. No words were shared; none were necessary. But the silence still hung in the air, thick and awkward, like the dense air before a storm. But no one uttered a single sound until they get to the very top, where they faced the Final Destination. A very suiting name, if you thought about it. None of the group did though. Or maybe they just didn't care.

"You all ready?"

Everyone nods their heads, still unable to speak with the thick tension in the air. Without any reply, the group walks inside the large, extravagant purple door, adorned with blue and decorations that would lead them into the single, flat piece of land caught inside the middle of space. Master Hand and Crazy Hand take their places in front of Samus and Sonic, hoping they remembered the plan.

Because they had no time for discussion before Tabuu made an entrance.

He gracefully floats downwards toward the four, his enormous butterfly-like wings flapping harshly, causing roaring winds to cyclone around them, which sent Sonic tumbling backwards. He flails his arms pitifully as he is uprooted from the ground and thrown harshly off of the stage, with nothing but open air to cradle his fall. Samus recoils immediately, getting up as she struggles against the force of the wind. Her heavy power suit provided good enough protection from the wind, but she still had to take one agonizingly slow step after another, until she reaches the edge. Swinging her plasma whip, she barely misses Sonic as is just farther than her plasma whip could reach. "Sonic, jump as high as you can! I'll catch you!" She bellows as she hopes she is heard above the roar of the winds. Sonic understand, and jumps up safely, one of his famous springs propelling him even farther forward. Grasping the plasma whip, he shudders as the flame singes his blue fur, but doesn't have to wait long before Samus yank him up and over the platform, where he is safe, and able to release the painful rope. He nods his thanks to Samus, who merely nods back before they spring back into action.

The winds still rage above them, but Crazy Hand ignites one of his bombs in the palm of his hand and throws it Tabuu's direction, hoping for the best.

It doesn't take long.

**BOOM!**

Smoke fills the air as Crazy gives a victory cry. It quickly turns into one of despair as he realizes that Tabuu had simply teleported to the other side of the platform, avoiding the blast, though he is considerably closer to the two Hands now. Master Hand doesn't hesitate, as he shots familiar beams out of his hand, aimed straight for Tabuu's wings. Small bullet-hole like circles pierces them, but it does little to affect him. Tabuu waves his hand, forming a shiruken-like object in his hand as he tosses it at the group. Samus and Sonic easily jump away, and the Hands float above the blast, easily avoiding it. They weren't quite as lucky as the weapon makes its way back around like a boomerang and Crazy Hand is hit. Recoiling fast as he could, Crazy Hand skyrockets into the air and dive-bombs down, holding him fingers together like a drill. His speed doesn't betray him, and he is able to get a good hit in. Samus rapidly shots her missiles once she sees Tabuu fall and Sonic dashes over and gives a good strike as well. Tabuu disappears quickly, and reappears as soon. Just as the group were about to attack, Tabuu transforms into an enormous arrow-head like structure, and shots after the Hands. They dodge, and pick up the Smashers before he gets the chance to hit them with the whiplash. Setting them down, the Hands both coil into fists and go onto opposite side of Tabuu. Shooting off like a bullet, they head on a collision path with Tabuu. He cleverly vanishes downwards, but the Crazy Hand seems to be ready for this, because he unclenches his body and slams into Tabuu with his outstretched hand. Tabuu disperses after the hit, and reanimates a large distance above the Hands. Tiny sparks encircle his body, and soon you could tell that he had been healed. Sonic snarls and shots up after him, Master Hand giving him a boost as he rolls into a ball which damages Tabuu. He quickly disappears and comes back in the middle of the stage, where he eunfurled his large butterfly wings, sending powerful waves of energy after the Smashers. It was unavoidable for Samus and Sonic, and they are roughly thrown off the stage by the blasts. Crazy Hand catches her though, and floats to safety. Shooting off rapid-fire missiles again, Samus manages to get in a few good shots before she is joined by Sonic, who had been aided by Master Hand. Together they jump down and strike Tabuu, but he floats upward, avoiding most of the attacks. Master Hand quickly sends off his beams again, dancing them over Tabuu's frail frame. He is assaulted by these for as long as Master Hand could allow, and then he disappears, only to be slammed into by Crazy Hand again. But Tabuu isn't one to be trifled with. He waves his hand, and manifests a large gun with a dragon's head, which shots off a large beam, hitting the Hands in an evidently painful blast. He stops the assault, but only to be replaced by multiple clones of the entity, who all go kamikaze on each of the fighters. Samus uses her plasma whip to keep herself safe, and Sonic also manages on his own, jumping back to safety, though from the apparent lack of motion, they were fairly worn down. Tabuu then disperses into thin air, but when he reanimates, Master Hand was ready with a horizontal attack much like Crazy's, his hand forming a drill and rapidly assaulting Tabuu, and he is unable to escape. As he continuously pounds his fist into Tabuu, something flies off of him . . .

A Smash Ball!

"But how? He stole all of the weapons! Wouldn't he give them to his army?" Sonic asks as he gazes at the beautiful thing that danced above him, taunting him as it comes close enough for him to see, but not to touch. "Maybe he used them to make himself stronger? And when we hit him enough, he loses that power? Either way; after it!" She shouts, and Sonic quickly races after it, successfully leaping at just the right moment.

But instead of exploding into a burst of power that should have encircled Sonic, it explodes into a million beads of darkness that the Primids were made of. _But why?_ Samus wonders, temporarily distracted from the fight taking place above her, as she rightfully should be in this situation.

Because now the beads were latching onto Sonic!

* * *

**Tarryn: Okay, so the finale will include the end of the fights, the (possible) saving of the little Smashers, the inclusion of Zelink, as well as when the survivors are all gathered back at the mansion. Oh and on the fighting, what do you think? Good, needs work, awful? I'll try to do my best to make it better if I need to, but I would love some feedback. Well, see you next time! R&R!**


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